It's the last Friday of the month, so you know what that means 😊 For today's My First Quilt interview, Sarah Schneider of Sarah's Softies is sharing the story behind her first quilt. Sarah is an engineer turned stay at home mom turned quilter and pattern designer.
And now, here is Sarah's first quilt! Doesn't the crib look cozy?
What year did you make your first quilt? What prompted you to make it?
2011, I was pregnant with my first child. My grandmother was the family quilter. Everyone of my cousins had a handmade quilt from her. One cousin has two and still (30+ years later) swears our grandfather made one of them. HA! Since my grandmother had past several years earlier, I realized that if I wanted my children to have such memories and "blankets" that I was going to have to make them myself. So, off to Youtube I went!
What techniques were used in that first quilt? Did you quilt it yourself?
Oh, it was terrible. I use a panel that was from the same line that I used for her curtains, fabric covered boxes, bumpers, sheets, etc. I did mention it was my first child, right? The panel then had a small border, minky backing, and *sighs* pipping around the edge. I had no idea how difficult and silly that would be.
Who taught you to make the quilt?
My grandmother had shown my how to use a sewing machine when I was a child, and my mother taught me to read sewing patterns. We had made both of my prom dresses in High School. I knew the basics. I did know that I need the right thread, needles, and fabrics, but that was about it. The rest I kind of pieced together from videos and my basic sewing knowledge of clothing fabrication.
Are the colours you chose for your first quilt ones you would still choose today?
It was a panel, not something I do a lot. I did learn not to use minky or crazy stretchy fabrics for backing. And why on Earth did I think it needed pipping around the edge? Who knows...
Did you fall in love with quilting right away? Or was there a gap between making the first quilt and the next one?
I did love the idea of creating something out of random materials (that is the Engineer in me I guess). But once I created that quilt, I did create another (very badly made since I didn't do my full research) quilt a couple years later. It took me a long time to make it. A very long time. Once I discovered online teachers and my local quilt guild, my quilting got a ton better.
Where is the quilt now?
In a memory box for my daughter to have when she moves out of the home. In fact, I have made enough quilts for both of my children to cover all their beds in their future homes when they move out. Every time we move (and as a military family, it is quite often) I make sure they each have a quilt that they can keep.
Is there anything you wish you could go back and tell yourself as you made that first quilt?
Do more research first! Don't think you know what you are doing!
Anything else you want to share about your first quilt?
It was a great learning experience. It isn't perfect (not even close), but it is amazing and I absolutely love everything about it.
Thanks for sharing your first quilt (and the matching curtains, cushion, covered boxes, etc) with us, Sarah! I loved this peek into your first child's room 😊
It sure sounds like Sarah is carrying on her grandmother's tradition beautifully!
ReplyDelete